Originally posted by pentaxmz I don't follow your logic. It is common place for newer models to require different batteries, charger, or what ever.
It is not common for Pentax.
Quote: Examples: Canon xxD series cannot use the same batteries between some models. And the Canon PowerShot series SDxxx... most need different batteries and accessories.
Ah, now I see from where you are coming...
But in Pentax land, things are different.
For Pentax, it has been common that every camera serie shares accessories.
Do note the difference to Canon - Canon has had their EOS name for a long time, they have sticked to it - but Pentax has had many different names. A new camera serie gets a new name, if it is not getting a new name then it is part of the older serie.
SF-serie, Z-serie, MZ-serie, the film *ist and so on...
Quote: Anyhow, I don't really care that much. I am just curious as to where K-7 came from and how does this model relate or fit into the rest of the family: Km, K20D, K2000...
K20D and K200D were part of the old serie, the KxD-serie.
The K-m was the first model in the new "K-"serie. K-7 is the second.
The K20D and K200D does not fit in the new "K-"-serie beacuse they were part of the KxD-serie, not the K-serie.
If we skip the K200D and K20D, of those the K200D is discontinued, we have the K-7 and the K-m. There will be a new K-camera in the near future, to fill the gap between the K-7 and the K-m.